Valve lock

Abstract

The locking device locks the valve control lever in both its closed or open positions. It consists of a male part and a female part. The male part includes a lengthwise cavity, for flatly and freely receiving the valve lever, and a U-shape extension, transversely extending from one end of the male part main body. The female part defines a channel for sliding engagement by the interconnected male part and valve lever, to interlock same. A padlock interlocks the male and female parts by engaging registering ears thereof.

I claim: 
     
       1. A locking device for use with an elongated valve control handle lever of the type being endwisely mounted radially of a lengthwise fluid flow conduit for pivotal rotation between a first position, parallel to and in register with said conduit, and a second position, transverse to said conduit; said locking device consisting of: (a) a male member, defining an elongated main body for releasably engaging over a substantial portion of said handle lever lengthwisely thereof;   (b) a female member, defining a generally closed, elongated pocket member, said pocket member having a mouth at one end, the releasably interengaged said male member and said handle lever to be releasably engaged through said mouth into said pocket member for interlocking said male member and said handle lever, wherein said handle lever becomes generally concealed by said male and female members;   (c) means for preventing relative movement of said male member about said conduit; and   (d) means for releasably anchoring said male and female members exclusively of said handle lever; wherein said locking device prevents pivotal rotation of said handle lever when the latter is positioned in either one of said first or second positions;   wherein said anchoring means includes: (a) a flange, edgewisely depending from said male member and defining a number of lengthwisely spaced first bores;   (b) a cross-sectionally U-shape rail, integrally dependent from one side edge of said female member and slidingly engaged by said flange, and defining a number of lengthwise spaced second bores; and     (c) a padlock having a shackle releasably engaging a registering pair of said first bore and second bore to interlock said flange to said rail.   
     
     
       2. A locking device for use with an elongated valve control handle lever of the type being endwisely mounted radially of a lengthwise fluid flow conduit for pivotal rotation between a first position, parallel to and in register with said conduit, and a second position, transverse to said conduit; said locking device consisting of: (a) a male member, defining an elongated main body for releasably engaging over a substantial portion of said handle lever lengthwisely thereof;   (b) a female member, defining a generally closed, elongated pocket member, said pocket member having a mouth at one end, the releasably interengaged said male member and said handle lever to be releasably engaged through said mouth into said pocket member for interlocking said male member and said handle lever, wherein said handle lever becomes generally concealed by said male and female members;   (c) means for preventing relative movement of said male member about said conduit; and   (d) means for releasably anchoring said male and female members exclusively of said handle lever;   wherein said locking device prevents pivotal rotation of said handle lever when the latter is positioned in either one of said first or second positions;   wherein the first mentioned means consists of a U-shape wall, transversely mounted endwisely of said male member main body, said U-shape wall defining two substantially parallel side legs spaced from each other by a distance at least slightly greater than the diameter of said fluid conduit, said legs of the U-shape wall being at least slightly longer than said fluid conduit diameter.   
     
     
       3. A locking device as defined in claim 2, further including an extension member of said side legs of said U-shape wall, releasably mounted thereto to fit conduits of very large diameter. 
     
     
       4. A locking device for use with an elongated valve control handle lever of the type being endwisely mounted radially of a lengthwise fluid flow conduit for pivotal rotation between a first position, parallel to and in register with said conduit, and a second position, transverse to said conduit; said locking device consisting of: (a) a male member, defining an elongated main body for releasably engaging over a substantial portion of said handle lever lengthwisely thereof;   (b) a female member, defining a generally closed, elongated pocket member, said pocket member having a mouth at one end, the releasably interengaged said male member and said handle lever to be releasably engaged through said mouth into said pocket member for interlocking said male member and said handle lever, wherein said handle lever becomes generally concealed by said male and female members;   (c) means for preventing relative movement of said male member about said conduit; and   (d) means for releasably anchoring said male and female members exclusively of said handle lever;   wherein said locking device prevents pivotal rotation of said handle lever when the latter is positioned in either one of said first or second positions;    with said male members being of generally U-shape, defining a first web and two first side legs; said locking device further including a wedge plate, of cross-sectionally U-shape and defining a second web and two second side legs, said wedge plate releasably mounted between said handle lever and said male member for frictionally interlocking means wherein said handle lever is relatively underdimensioned; said male member thus defining a inner U-shape wall of a dimension approximately that of the outer U-shape wall defined by said wedge plate; wherein for a relatively narrow handle lever, said second web abuts directly against both said first web and said handle lever with said second side legs extending freely in a direction opposite said first web; or wherein for a relative thin handle lever, said second web abuts directly against said handle lever only with said second side legs extending toward and edgewisely engaging said first web.